2023 World Triathlon Para Series Swansea has been confirmed as one of the headline events when the Para Sport Festival returns to Swansea Bay this summer.
The week-long, multi-sport and multi-venue event is being held from 10-16 July 2023, and will include the world’s best paratriathletes racing in the city at World Triathlon Para Series Swansea on Saturday 15 July.
The World Triathlon Para Series was held in Swansea for the first time last year, and will also include racing in the British Triathlon Paratri Super Series and participation opportunities.
The international paratriathlon event is one of a number of sporting events taking place in Swansea Bay during the Para Sport Festival, which also includes a free ‘Take Part’ insport Series event.
Designed to inspire and encourage people of all ages and abilities to participate in and spectate disability and para sport, last year’s inaugural Disability Sport Wales-organised and Welsh Government funded Para Sport Festival was a huge success.
Building on that success, the 2023 Para Sport Festival will be even bigger and better, with more national status tournaments and more opportunities to get involved – as a participant, volunteer or spectator.
The new-look 2023 Para Sport Festival will commence on Monday 10 July with the Welsh Para Golf Open, to be played at the wonderfully picturesque Langland Bay Golf Club.
One of the biggest participant days will be on Tuesday 11 July, when an insport Series event will take place at the Indoor Athletics Track at Swansea University (Singleton Park Campus).
Last year over 200 people, many of whom had never tried sport before, took advantage of this free event to come and participate in over 20 different sports – each of which was delivered by local insport Clubs and National Governing Bodies, who also brought along qualified coaches.
The event is open to all ages and all abilities, and the venue is fully accessible. Registration beforehand is a must and can be done at: parasportfestival.co.uk.
The Boccia UK Team Championships will take place on Wednesday (12 July) and Thursday (13 July), before Friday (14 July) sees the British Para Fencing Championships and Welsh Para Open Target Shooting competitions getting underway, as well as the Deaf Football International match between Wales and Scotland.
The Wheelchair Rugby Welsh Open takes place on Saturday (15 July), while the Para Fencing and Target Shooting competitions conclude on Sunday (16 July).
With World Triathlon Para Series taking place on the Saturday, it will be a weekend of swim, bike, run with IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea concluding the week-long festival of sport on the Sunday.
Dawn Bowden, Welsh Government Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, said: “I’m delighted that we’re able to support Disability Sport Wales in bringing this event back to Swansea and that the city will, once again, get a chance to demonstrate its expertise in successfully hosting a major para sport event - following on from last year’s successful event.
“This reaffirms our commitment to the development of disability sport and providing a further platform to promote sporting opportunities for disabled people. The event also makes the most of the city’s fantastic waterfront location - and we look forward to welcoming the athletes to Swansea and Wales in the summer.”
Robert Francis-Davies, Swansea Council cabinet member, added: “We’re delighted to welcome back this outstanding event as part of a world-class week of sport in Swansea.
“It promises to be a memorable and exciting few days for athletes, spectators, support teams, our local communities and those trying out some of the activities for the very first time.
“The 2023 Para Sport Festival – together with the World Triathlon Para Series Swansea and IRONMAN 70.3 - will reinforce the city’s reputation as a welcoming, diverse sporting city, capable of hosting major events.
“We’ll continue to work with the event organisers to ensure that local people and businesses have every chance to plan for and to enjoy these exceptional events.
“We want to inspire local people to compete in sport and to enjoy it in other ways too.”
Robyn Wilkins, Disability Sport Wales Para Sport Festival Senior Officer, said: “From the outset, the aspirations for this Para Sport Festival are focused on developing a genuine legacy of both participation and competitive opportunities for disabled people in Swansea and beyond.
“Following the success of the inaugural event last summer we are delighted to see the event return in July 2023 with a growing schedule of competitive para sport events.
"We’re looking forward to welcoming some back from last year and are excited to grow Swansea and Wales’ reputation as a go-to venue for elite para sport events as we welcome a number of additional events to the growing schedule.
“The opportunity to highlight the wide range of possibilities for disabled people in Wales will be supported through free spectator tickets to all the competitive events and live stream options, but it is not possible through these events alone to inspire disabled children, young people and adults into inclusive or para sport.
"We’re therefore pleased to announce that the Para Sport Festival events programme will also see the return of the SPAR insport Series event to highlight the range of inclusive grassroots opportunities to a greater audience.
“With over 20 sports on offer, delivered by a network of Welsh and British National Governing Bodies of Sport, and great local insport Clubs, the event will provide the perfect platform for individuals to find their own journey within inclusive physical activity.
“The Para Sport Festival as a whole is an excellent opportunity to showcase the first-class opportunities available in Swansea to a greater audience, and to give us a fantastic platform to continue to build over the initial three-year period.”
To register to compete and/or volunteer at the Para Sport Festival, please go to: parasportfestival.co.uk.
To find out more about 2023 World Triathlon Para Series Swansea, visit the event page here for event updates and information.
